Alleged Discovery of 'Real' Mt. Sinai Could Change the Middle East Forever

One of the greatest -- and most doubted -- miracles of the Exodus is the story about God instructing Moses to hit a large rock with his rod, which resulted in a flow of water for the Hebrews to drink from. Near Jabal al-Lawz is a large rock, standing about 60 feet high, split down the middle. The edges of the split and the rock underneath it have become smooth, as if a stream of water had poured forth from the rock, creating a river. Given the annual rainfall in Saudi Arabia and the fact that the erosion is only present on that rock and no other ones in the surrounding area, it’s hard to find a plausible explanation for this remarkable find.

A site matching the description of the altar of the golden calf is also at this site. As the Biblical story goes, while Moses was away for 40 days on Mt. Sinai, the Hebrews created an altar with a golden calf on top of it, which they worshiped. Moses, incensed at the betrayal, crushed the calf into smithereens. A large altar with inscriptions of Egyptian bulls engraved onto it is also near Mt. Sinai, making it the only location in Saudi Arabia to have such inscriptions. Moller notes in his book that “one block of stone at the altar had a slight depression and after a brief shower something glistened at the bottom, which turned out to be small flakes of gold. This rock could well have been the place where Moses ground the golden calf into powder.”

This is just scratching the surface. The 12 wells of Elim, the altar constructed by Moses after the defeat of the Amalekites, evidence of large encampments, the boundary markers and stone pillars the Bible says were placed around Mt. Sinai, and several other sites identified in the Old Testament are located. Simply put, everything that the Bible indicates should be there is present. The researchers even describe how the locals refer to the site as “Moses’ Mountain” and it is common knowledge that Moses passed through the area.

The finds are extremely significant and have the potential to change the dynamics of the Middle East. If a site of such importance to Jews and Christians exists in Muslim Saudi Arabia, then a conflict may arise that matches the intensity of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Hordes of non-Muslim researchers and tourists will demand access to the site, placing pressure on the Saudi government and creating internal instability that could be impossible to contain. The Saudis are aware of the consequences of this find and have surrounded Jabal al-Lawz, the alleged altar of the golden calf, and other sites with armed guards, patrols, and barbed wire with a sign designating them as off-limits archaeological sites. Ironically, the strict form of Islam enforced by the Saudi government has allowed these sites to be preserved.

Perhaps you think this is all hogwash. Regardless of your stance on these findings, the fact remains that if the deserved publicity follows the release of The Exodus Conspiracy, a new clash between Islam and Judaism and Christianity will erupt in Saudi Arabia, the home of Mecca and Medina, with results no one can predict.